Sparkyville, USAEpisode 7: Movie Night
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Franklin, Eudora, Pig Pen, and Frieda all go out to the movies on a triple date. Linus and Schroeder stay home, as Linus doesn't have a steady girlfriend, and Schroeder isn't interested in dating at all, puzzling the guys about why he's so hesitant to even try to date. Marcie contemplates moving back to Sparkyville after school is done.
1. Chapter 1

Episode 7: Movie Night

**CHAPTER 1: MORE ROMANTIC PLANS**

Charlie was at work at the recruitment center finishing up some paperwork. Cormac came in with for his next orders. Kevin was always late coming in. Charlie had talked to him about being on time. Plus Kevin always did stuff in his own fashion, while Cormac did it as instructed. Charlie and Cormac waited for Kevin to come in. Soon as he showed up, both were out of patience.

"Corporal, you're late again!" scolded Charlie.

"Sorry, sir," apologized Kevin.

"Don't be sorry, be on time!" ordered Charlie.

"Yes, sir!" said Kevin.

"Okay, I got your assignments for today," Charlie began. "Lance Corporal Ray, you will be assigned to West Ridge Mall. I was able to get approval from mall management for you to set up a table there for Marine recruitment. Lance Corporal Jennings, you will be assigned to East Sparkyville Mall. The management there also approved us having a table there. Are both of you clear on your assignments?"

"Yes, sir!" answered both Lance Corporals.

"Okay, you have your assignments. You're dismissed."

"Aye, aye, sir!" And as they were leaving, Charlie stopped Kevin.

"Lance Corporal Ray!" he said. "A moment before you go."

"Sir?" Kevin walked back over to Charlie.

"Take a seat." Kevin sat down.

"I've been hearing that you've been doing your own thing when it comes to the orders I've been giving you. Don't answer or give an explanation. All I want you to do is do as you're told. I don't want to get Colonel Clarke or Master Sergeant Donaldson involved. Though I will if I have to. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"You're dismissed, Corporal."

"Aye, aye, sir!" And Kevin left to do his assignment. Charlie sighed.

"What am I going to do with him?" he asked himself. Just then, his cell phone rang. He answered it.

"Staff Sergeant Brown?"

"Hey, Chuck, it's me." It was Pat calling her boyfriend.

"Oh, how are you, Patty?"

"You sound a little mad. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah. I just had to reprimand one of my Lance Corporals. Didn't like doing it, but he needed it."

"I know what will make you better, baby. Mary and Monica invited us and some others over for a movie night at their place. They want to get to know my friends a little better. I also invited Franklin and Eudora and Pig Pen and Frieda."

"Sounds like fun. I'll meet up with you after I get out of here. Okay?"

"Sure thing. And Chuck?"

"Yeah, Pat?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too." And Charlie hung up his phone and went back to work.

**NEXT CHAPTER: MARCIE MAKES PLANS OF HER OWN**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: HOME ON THE MIND**

_Belfast, Ireland_

Marcie was at home on her computer. She was looking at a travel site. She had planned to head back home to Sparkyville after school got out. She had also planned for Ted to join her later. She wanted to surprise Pat, Charlie, and the others, so she hadn't contacted them, at least not yet. She knew she wanted to reconnect with her friends back home, but she wasn't ready to talk to her parents. In fact, she wanted nothing to do with them, which was part of the reason why she moved to Ireland in the first place.

_**7 Years Earlier…**_

___"MARCIE! YOU ARE GOING TO PRESCOTT AND THAT'S FINAL!"_

_ Marcie's mother Darby Carlin was arguing with her about her choice of school. She had finally turned 18 and was ready to escape the home of her repressive parents. Her father, Jeremy, was more reserved and let his wife call the shots. Darby was stricter and always made the rules. She barely tolerated her best friend Peppermint Patty only because she looked out for Marcie and Marcie helped her in her studies. She was also tolerant of Charlie Brown because he was respectful and kind, unlike some of the other neighborhood boys, in her mind._

_ "Mother, I already paid the tuition!" Marcie argued. "The plane ticket to Ireland is paid for! There's no going back now!"_

_ "Well, it looks like you are out a few thousand dollars, aren't you?" said Darby, without a shred of compassion._

_ "Mother, I am going to Ireland," Marcie said, firmly. "The school is prestigious. I will get the kind of learning that not even Prescott can provide. I was sure you'd be happy about that, but I guess not. You just want to keep me here so you can control me!"_

_ "THAT'S NOT TRUE!"_

_ "Isn't it?!" Marcie raised an eyebrow._

_ "The world is cruel! I just want you to be safe!"_

_ "I am going to Ireland, and that's it!"_

_ "Okay, Marceline. But if you go to Ireland, don't call us or write us! We won't respond. And don't come home for Christmas or any other holidays, because you won't be welcomed back here."_

_ Marcie looked at her mother for a while. Finally she said, "All I ask is time to gather my belongings. I'll be out of your lives as soon as I can." And she went to her room to pack._

_**Present Day**_

As she was setting the date and time of her leaving for America, Marcie heard a knock on the door. She answered it and she saw it was her boyfriend, Ted.

"Hey, babe," she cooed, kissing him.

"Hello, luv," he said. "What yer up to?"

"Setting the date for my return to the US after school is out. I have purchased the tickets already."

"So I will come out a couple of weeks after you get back to th' states, right?"

"That's right. Now I'm hoping that we can stay there and get you some citizenship in the US. We will come back here to tie up any loose ends we have here."

"I know I want ta be wit ya, Marcie. I don't want anyone else but you, lass."

"And I love you, Ted. I want you with me all of the way." They start to make out, but stop for a second.

"Is Ingrid here, luv?" asked Ted.

"Nope, she's out for the night," Marcie replied. And they continue to make out before heading to Marcie's room.

**NEXT CHAPTER: INSIDE THE MIND OF SCHROEDER**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES… …AT HOME**

Charlie, Pat, Franklin, Eudora, Pig Pen, and Frieda all met at Mary and Monica's place for "Movie Night". Pat knocked on the door, and Mary answered it.

"Pat, how are you?" greeted Mary.

"Great, Mare," said Pat. "This is my boyfriend, Charles Brown."

"So you're the Chuck she's been going on and on about, eh?" said Mary. "If I wasn't a lesbian, I'd find you attractive, myself."

"Thanks," said Charlie.

"These are our other friends," Pat continued. "You know Franklin and Eudora. And this is Matt, but we call him Pig Pen, and his girlfriend, Frieda."

"Nice to meet you two," said Mary.

"Likewise," said Frieda.

"Well, come on in, everyone," said Mary letting them all in. Monica, her girlfriend, walked up to the group.

"Hello all," she greeted.

"Monica, this is Pat's boyfriend, Chuck," said Mary starting the introductions. "These are their friends Pig Pen and Frieda. You are already familiar with Franklin and Eudora."

"Good to see you again, Monica," said Eudora.

"You too, Dory," said Monica. "And it's nice to meet the rest of you."

After the introductions were over, the four couples sat down at the couches and chairs for the movies. They had bowls of popcorn, chips, snacks, they even had trays of burger sliders, cocktail weenies wrapped in croissant rolls, and 2 liter bottles of soda to drink.

"What a spread!" said Pat, in awe of the food before them.

"Well we wanted the movie theater experience," said Mary. "Plus you know my baby can't stop cooking for people."

"Oh you," said a blushing Monica, who then kissed her girlfriend.

"So what movies do you have for us to watch?" asked Franklin.

"We have a horror movie, a comedy, and something action-packed," answered Monica.

"Cool!" said Pat. And the folks got some food and took their seats.

"Too bad the rest of our friends are missing out," said Pig Pen.

"Well Linus told me he was getting reacquainted with a blast from his past," said Charlie. "It's a girl we both had a crush on back when we were kids."

"It's not the little red-haired girl, is it?!" asked Franklin.

"Oh hell no!" said Charlie. "I got over my crush of her years ago. As it turned out, she was almost as shallow as Violet Gray! Operative word is 'almost'!" Everyone laughed. "No, the woman in question is a girl I once saw on TV after a football game, but Linus also happened to fall for her after meeting her face-to-face. He can have her now, as I got someone better right here."

"Oh, Chuck!" cooed Pat. She kissed Charlie and smiled.

"I always wondered when you two would finally hook up," said Pig Pen.

"She made it so obvious that she was in love with you," added Frieda.

"But I think people telling you no one would ever love you blind to her affections as a kid," said Franklin.

"Yeah, but now my eyes are wide open," said Charlie, looking at Pat with affection. Monica popped in the first movie and sat down next to Mary. All were about to enjoy the movie.

Elsewhere, Linus and Schroeder were at the Bronze Beagle talking with Shermy at his private spot in the club. They were just hanging out.

"So your mystery girl wasn't a mystery, eh?" said Shermy.

"Nope," answered Linus. "It was in fact my old childhood flame, Mary Jo. She's working at the hospital."

"Isn't that the girl Charlie also had a crush on?" wondered Schroeder.

"Charlie told me that was the girl he saw on TV, but he never told me what she looked like," Linus answered.

"What about you, Schroeder?" asked Shermy. "Any lucky lady in your life?"

"No time for romance, fellas," Schroeder answered. "Besides, I'm not really attracted to the ladies around here. Hold on, I need to go to the restroom." And Schroeder got up and left for a minute.

"Dude, what is up with him?" said a bewildered Shermy. "I totally get why he doesn't like your sister and all, but it seems he don't like ANY woman!"

"I couldn't tell you, Shermy," said Linus. "I thought he might be gay, but he don't seem to be interested in any kind of romance, man or woman."

"Any kind of person would find somebody attractive, even if they didn't want to be tied down," said Shermy. "Schroeder doesn't seem to even want THAT!"

"I don't know, man," sighed Linus. "I thought Charlie was a hopeless case for years, but he turned out fine. Schroeder might just be the real hopeless case." They stopped talking when they saw Schroeder coming back.

"Hey, Sherm, can you have your bartender get me another beer?" asked Schroeder.

"Thibault! Another draft for the maestro!" And Thibault served another beer for Schroeder. Then the men heard a commotion on the other side of the club.

"GET YOUR FUCKING DISGUSTING HANDS OFF ME, YOU PERVERT! DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"

The guys look to see a pretty wasted Violet being escorted out of the club. Shermy ran over to see what was happening.

"Brutal," he began, "what happened?"

"Your friend here started a fight with one of the dancers," Brutal answered.

"She tried to pull me off the stage, Shermy!" cried the dancer. "She was calling me a 'slut' and a 'whore' as she was yanking at my leg!"

"THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE, YOU SKANK!" yelled a drunken Violet.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, VIOLET!" warned an angry Shermy. "I warned you about starting a fight with the staff multiple times!"

"C'mon, Shermy," slurred Violet. "I was only funning the bitch!"

"You had enough! I'll get an Uber to pick you up. You can come back for your car once you sober up. Give me your car keys."

"You're just trying to steal my car, aren't you?!"

"I have my own, Violet. You know that."

"Hey, Shermy, I can give her a ride home," offered Schroeder.

"That's okay, man," said Shermy. "You had a bit to drink, yourself."

"Hey, I'm sober enough to drive," Schroeder offered. "I'm not like this!" And he pointed to Violet.

"Okay," Shermy relented. "But be careful! I won't be held responsible for you getting a DUI." And Schroeder took a drunken Violet to his car and took her home.

As they were driving, Violet began, "Thank you so much, Schroeder, for taking me home. I needed to unwind after the week I had. I don't know if you knew but Charlie Brown's sister Sally was an intern at Gray Industries."

"I heard about that."

"Well the little bitch quit on me and now I have other interns picking up my dry-cleaning, and they aren't as prompt about it as she was. Plus I think my employees hate me." She started drunk-crying.

"Good fucking grief!" muttered Schroeder under his breath.

"Why does people hate me so much?!" sobbed Violet, reeking of alcohol.

"Well, maybe if you were a bit nicer to people?" offered Schroeder.

"Nicer?!" laughed Violet. "Good one, Schroeder!" She laughed hard until she threw up outside the car as it was going down the road.

"What the fuck, Violet?!" yelled Schroeder.

"Sorry, Schroeder," she said, meekly. "At least it isn't inside the car."

"That's the only thing saving you from getting thrown out completely," sighed Schroeder. And they continued to Violet's apartment. She gave him some gas money and went inside to clean up. Schroeder went to find the nearest car wash to wash the vomit off his car.

**NEXT CHAPTER: FILM-WATCHING CONTINUES**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: THE TRIPLE FEATURE CONTINUES**

As the night wore on, two of the movies were complete. Mary popped the DVD which had the action film out of the player. Everyone was going for a bathroom break and a smoke out on the deck outside. Charlie was getting another beer to drink from the fridge when Mary walked up to him.

"You know, Sarge," she began, "you're pretty cool. Pat had told me about how you two grew up together and how she felt for you even back then. How could you not had seen it?"

"Well, Mary, it all stems from being teased all through childhood," said Charlie. "I was being told I couldn't do anything right, how I was wishy-washy, and how no one could ever love me. You could say my self-esteem took a beating. So when Pat showered me with affection, I was oblivious to it, and never thought anyone could actually be in love with me. Even my sister told me flat out that she, AND her friend Marcie, both liked me, but I still couldn't see that due to being told that no one COULD love me. This was part of the reason I joined up with the Marines. I wanted to have a solid ego and better self-esteem."

"I understand," said Mary. "I, too, was bullied and teased when I was little. Even in high school, kids used to call me a dyke because I was attracted to girls. But I also had a circle of friends who supported me and cared for me. It was in high school where I met Monica, the love of my life. She has been my rock ever since. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"I get it, Mary," Charlie replied. "I feel the same way about Pat. I may have been blind to her affections when we were kids, but now I'm not. And I also still have a circle of friends who support me, myself."

"I know. From what Pat has told me, while you were unpopular, you were popular at the same time. In essence, you were the most popular unpopular kid in school."

"That's a good one!" Both of them laughed. Pat walked back in from having a cigarette.

"Whatcha guys talking about?" she asked.

"Just getting to know your man here, Pat," said Mary. "You got a winner here."

"Thanks, Mare," said Pat. "Chuck is a wonderful guy, isn't he?"

"He sure is, Pat. Almost as good as my Monica." And Monica walked up.

"Thank you, baby," she said to Mary, as she kissed her. "Are we ready for the last movie of the night?"

"Must be the horror flick," said Franklin.

"I get scared easily watching these, honey," said Frieda to Pig Pen.

"You can cover your eyes when the scary part comes," said Pig Pen.

"You're so good to me, baby," cooed Frieda, who started making out with her boyfriend.

"Uh, you know we're still here, you two," said Eudora. Pig Pen and Frieda pulled apart and cuddled together. Monica popped in the last movie. All of the couples gathered together to watch the horror film.

"I've seen this!" said Franklin. "It's a classic!"

"Don't give away the ending, Franklin!" warned Pat.

"I'd never do that, Pat," assured Franklin. "Trust me, I know better."

"Hold my hand, Mattie baby," said Frieda. Pig Pen grabbed her hand. Mary and Monica also cuddled together. Pat laid her head on Charlie's shoulder as they held hands themselves, and Franklin and Eudora held each other close. It was a classic movie starring Bela Lugosi. They enjoyed the rest of the night watching the old movie.

**NEXT CHAPTER: CRUISING THROUGH THE IRISH COUNTRYSIDE**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: GATHERING THOUGHTS**

_Belfast, Ireland, the countryside_

It was morning in Ireland. Marcie hopped on her motorcycle and rode through the Irish countryside, as the dew hovered over the fields. She always like to ride to gather her thoughts. She needed some time to think about her friends back home in Sparkyville. She did miss them and felt guilty about not telling them her plans to go to Ireland for school. She was almost done and she was wondering if she should make Ireland her permanent home or go back to the US. One thing was for certain. Either way, her parents would not be in her life. Her mother had severed ties with her, and she didn't want anything to do with them, especially her. While her father was more passive, her mother was strict and domineering. If she was coming back to Sparkyville, she would not let her mother know because she was an adult now, and she wasn't going to be pushed around by her domineering mother. She dealt with it for eighteen years of her life; she enjoyed her independence. And with a wonderful man in Ted, she wasn't going back to her sheltered life again.

She had just came back from her ride when she saw she had a message in her email. Marcie hopped on her computer and read the message. She gasped as it was from her father. She halfway expected something from her estranged mother wondering if she gave up her pipe dream of living abroad yet, as she always put it, but not her father, who kept out of the arguments. Now she was intrigued to see what he had to say. She read the message:

_Dear Marceline,_

_ I am so sorry about how things ended up for us. I am not speaking for your mother, but for myself. You see, not too long ago, your mother and I had split up. I'm now living in an apartment in the city. She has the house. I had recently filed papers for divorce._

"Divorce?!" Marcie gasped to herself. She continued to read the message.

_ Your mother and I are living separate lives now. As I said, I can't speak for her, but as for me, I would like for you and I to be back together. I miss you, Marceline. I never agreed to your mother kicking you out of the house and I wish I would have defended you more when I had the chance. But I am also glad you made the first move to leave the hellacious household before you went crazy. If you are willing, I want for us to have a second chance at being father and daughter. I love you, Marceline._

_Love,_

_Father_

Marcie was crying by this point. Her father DID love her. And he wanted her back in his life. She had already made up her mind about coming back home to Sparkyville, but now she could start over with her father now. Marcie decided to send him a message of her own.

_Dear father,_

_ Thank you for sending me this message. It had moved me. I had already planned to come back home after school got out. And now that I got this message from you after all this time, I am willing to reunite with you, on one condition: mother is NOT to be in my life again, no matter what! I do love you, father, but I hate her! I don't want to talk to her at all. I am willing to meet with you, but only if SHE'S out of the picture! I won't be back until sometime in June, but for now we can email each other and set up things for our eventual meeting. I do miss you, father, and I love you._

_Your daughter,_

_Marceline._

**THE END**


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